Diageo and Constellation Brands: Cramer's Top Takeaways

Did you miss "Mad Money" on CNBC? If so, here are some of Jim Cramer's top takeaways.

With the news that Diageo (DEO) is paying $1 billion to acquire Casamigos, the tequila brand started by actor George Clooney, does that make the stock a buy? Cramer dug into the details to find out.

As it turns out, tequila is one of Cramer's favorite subjects, especially after he purchased Bar San Miguel, a small-plate Mexican restaurant in Brooklyn, a few years ago. He said Casamigos has been a big seller at Bar San Miguel, and the company's growth, from 120,000 cases last year to over 170,000 cases this year, is amazing. Having George Clooney as the face of the brand also gives Diageo incredible opportunities to grow the brand overseas and especially in China, where the Chinese adore Clooney.

But then there's that $1 billion price tag. Back in 2014, Constellation Brands (STZ) bought Casa Noble, another premium tequila brand, for just $30 million. Back then, Casa Noble was only selling 20,000 cases a year, but by comparison, that deal translates to only $180 million, far short of $1 billion.

Cramer said he's a big fan of both companies, which trade at similar valuations, but it's clear that Constellation Brands is the industry leader. The company saw the tequila boom early and got in at a far better price than Diageo. For that reason, Constellation shares should be selling at a premium to Diageo, but both have room to grow.

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